Understanding Smart Growth

Understanding Smart Growth

"Being against sprawl doesn't mean being against growth ... the real question is not whether our communities will grow, but how."
-- Edward McMahon, from "Stopping Sprawl by Growing Smarter"
"Why do we lay out subdivisions that make it impossible for a ten-year old to walk to the store for a Popsicle or a loaf of bread?"
-- Philip Langdon, from "New Development, Traditional Patterns"
This collection of articles reprinted from the Planning Commissioners Journal helps define "smart-growth" and provides readers with some history and perspective. More than a dozen authors contribute to this overview, which includes some of the tools and techniques planners and planning commissioners use to grow smarter communities. A great resource for citizen planners.

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Articles
Summary

What's Behind Smart Growth:

U is for Urban Sprawl
by Laurence Gerckens, FAICP Planning historian Laurence Gerckens provides a brief overview of urban sprawl in America. From Gerckens' Planning ABCs publication.

Stopping Sprawl by Growing Smarter
by Edward T. McMahon Sprawl is causing some of the costliest problems America faces, yet, as Ed McMahon argues, several "myths" have made it more difficult for us to come to grips with sprawl.

American Zoning & the Physical Isolation of Uses
by Laurence Gerckens, FAICP Most zoning ordinances have long segregated residential, commercial, and industrial zones. Planning historian Larry Gerckens tells how this came to be.

Two Perspectives on Sprawl:
Bringing Sprawl to a Crawl
by Eben Fodor
The Anti-Sprawl Mantra
by Wayne Lemmon Planning consultant Eben Fodor outlines six steps individuals and communities can take to combat sprawl, while planner and real estate economist Wayne Lemmon makes the case for low-density suburban development.

Does Smart Growth = Equitable Growth
by Leah Kalinosky Smart growth promises less sprawl, reduced congestion, cleaner air, fewer wasted tax dollars, and revitalized neighborhoods. Yet advocates for low-income communities fear it may also lead to rising housing prices, displacing lower-income workers and their families and small businesses.

Metropolitan Pressure Points
by William A. Johnson, Jr. A former mayor of Rochester, New York argues that it's time to abandon the myth of the self-sufficient municipality.

Smart Messages
by Dave Stauffer How we frame our messages to the public is of critical importance in how they're received, argues planning consultant Dave Stauffer.

Challenges to Growing Smarter:

New Development, Traditional Patterns
by Philip Langdon A dramatic shift in the design & layout of new developments has begun to take hold in towns and cities across North America, drawing on older patterns of development to address what a number of planners and architects see as the failures of post World War II housing and community design. Noted planning journalist Philip Langdon (author of A Better Place to Live) provides an overview of "new urbanism."

G is for Growth Management
by Laurence Gerckens, FAICP Planning historian Laurence Gerckens provides a brief review of the evolution of growth management in America. From Gerckens' Planning ABCs publication.

Planning for Better Roadscapes
by Kate Lampton Whether it's a state highway, a county road, or a frequently traveled local road, every town has main corridors that form the framework around which the community develops. Taking a fresh look at a road corridor, with a particular focus on understanding its natural landscape and development pattern, can lead to land use policies that better meet your long-term goals and objectives.

Child Care in Our Communities
by David Foster Sixty percent of working families with children under age five now pay for licensed child care. A look at the importance of child care to our communities, and how cities and counties are responding to the challenge of providing for child care facilities.

Developing a Sewer Ordinance: One Town's Experience
by Kate Lampton Designating areas where essential services, particularly sewer service, can be used is one of the opportunities local planners have to direct growth to locations that reinforce community goals. Lampton explores how her town developed a sewer allocation ordinance.

The Mis-Marketing of Transit
by Patrick Hare A look at the influence of the modern land use development pattern on residential streets.

Controlling Strip Development
by Ross Moldoff, AICP One of the most common problems facing planners is how to deal with commercial strip development along major road corridors.

Back to School for Planners
by Tim Torma Decisions about school construction and renovation have profound implications for towns, cities, and counties nationwide. An examination of the positive role planners and planning commissioners can have.

Public Buildings Should Set the Standard
by Edward T. McMahon Until the last half of the 20th century, key public buildings were almost always designed and built to be focal points of their communities. Unfortunately, in recent decades the trend has been to build cheaply in peripheral locations. Ed McMahon explores the long-term costs that result.

Take a look also at our excellent collection of articles on Downtowns & Town Centers.

Articles	Summary
What's Behind Smart Growth:
U is for Urban Sprawl by Laurence Gerckens, FAICP	Planning historian Laurence Gerckens provides a brief overview of urban sprawl in America. From Gerckens' Planning ABCs publication.
Stopping Sprawl by Growing Smarter by Edward T. McMahon	Sprawl is causing some of the costliest problems America faces, yet, as Ed McMahon argues, several "myths" have made it more difficult for us to come to grips with sprawl.
American Zoning & the Physical Isolation of Uses by Laurence Gerckens, FAICP	Most zoning ordinances have long segregated residential, commercial, and industrial zones. Planning historian Larry Gerckens tells how this came to be.
Two Perspectives on Sprawl: Bringing Sprawl to a Crawl by Eben Fodor The Anti-Sprawl Mantra by Wayne Lemmon	Planning consultant Eben Fodor outlines six steps individuals and communities can take to combat sprawl, while planner and real estate economist Wayne Lemmon makes the case for low-density suburban development.
Does Smart Growth = Equitable Growth by Leah Kalinosky	Smart growth promises less sprawl, reduced congestion, cleaner air, fewer wasted tax dollars, and revitalized neighborhoods. Yet advocates for low-income communities fear it may also lead to rising housing prices, displacing lower-income workers and their families and small businesses.
Metropolitan Pressure Points by William A. Johnson, Jr.	A former mayor of Rochester, New York argues that it's time to abandon the myth of the self-sufficient municipality.
Smart Messages by Dave Stauffer	How we frame our messages to the public is of critical importance in how they're received, argues planning consultant Dave Stauffer.
Challenges to Growing Smarter:
New Development, Traditional Patterns by Philip Langdon	A dramatic shift in the design & layout of new developments has begun to take hold in towns and cities across North America, drawing on older patterns of development to address what a number of planners and architects see as the failures of post World War II housing and community design. Noted planning journalist Philip Langdon (author of A Better Place to Live) provides an overview of "new urbanism."
G is for Growth Management by Laurence Gerckens, FAICP	Planning historian Laurence Gerckens provides a brief review of the evolution of growth management in America. From Gerckens' Planning ABCs publication.
Planning for Better Roadscapes by Kate Lampton	Whether it's a state highway, a county road, or a frequently traveled local road, every town has main corridors that form the framework around which the community develops. Taking a fresh look at a road corridor, with a particular focus on understanding its natural landscape and development pattern, can lead to land use policies that better meet your long-term goals and objectives.
Child Care in Our Communities by David Foster	Sixty percent of working families with children under age five now pay for licensed child care. A look at the importance of child care to our communities, and how cities and counties are responding to the challenge of providing for child care facilities.
Developing a Sewer Ordinance: One Town's Experience by Kate Lampton	Designating areas where essential services, particularly sewer service, can be used is one of the opportunities local planners have to direct growth to locations that reinforce community goals. Lampton explores how her town developed a sewer allocation ordinance.
The Mis-Marketing of Transit by Patrick Hare	A look at the influence of the modern land use development pattern on residential streets.
Controlling Strip Development by Ross Moldoff, AICP	One of the most common problems facing planners is how to deal with commercial strip development along major road corridors.
Back to School for Planners by Tim Torma	Decisions about school construction and renovation have profound implications for towns, cities, and counties nationwide. An examination of the positive role planners and planning commissioners can have.
Public Buildings Should Set the Standard by Edward T. McMahon	Until the last half of the 20th century, key public buildings were almost always designed and built to be focal points of their communities. Unfortunately, in recent decades the trend has been to build cheaply in peripheral locations. Ed McMahon explores the long-term costs that result.
	Take a look also at our excellent collection of articles on Downtowns & Town Centers.